Method and article of decoration for walls and other surfaces.



1.1.61]. CAROW.

METHOD AND ARTICLE OF DECORATION FOR WALLS AND OTHER SURFACES.

APPLICATION: FILED MAR-6,1914.

1,204,743. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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077/6 Ja'Z 2'21 0 Car/"a W 1 uuuuuu '5 PETERS ca PHOYO u'mn wAsmNu-mm nc nrr earns PAEN JOHN J. CAROW AND JULIUS CAROW, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.

METHOD AND ARTICLE OF DECORATION FOR WALLS AND OTHER SURFACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1a, 1916.

Application filed March 6, 1914. Serial No. 822,922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JoHN J. CARow-and JULIUS CARow, citizens of theUnited States, residing at lVashington, in the District 'of Columbia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Articles ofDecoration for WValls and other Surfaces, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention provides a desirable decorative device, an efficient andeconomical method of producing it, and an effective method and meansparticularly suitable for applying it to walls and other surfaces.

The invention has for an important object to give an article on theorder of a glazed colored tile, but which does not require to be baked,and is especially suitable for mosaic work where segments of irregularform are required, although equally applicable in regular forms.

It is an important aim to enable the production of a tile device havingvariegated colors merging and blended in an artistic manner. This methodis particularly applicable to the imitation of marbles of variouscharacters as to veining and shading, although other beautiful effectsdistinct from marble are obtainable. A valuable end accomplished is inenabling the production of a multi-colored tile or mosaic the veiningand blending of the colors in which may be distinguished in local areasof the tile or segments of the mosaic. That is to say, in one part of atile or on one segment a marbled effect such as is familiarin presentimitations where varicolored fluid or plastic pigments are poured orpressed upon a flat surface before or after a mixing by stirring; and inanother part of the tile or another segment peculiar flares of color orblended colors, or merging of mutually adjacent bodies of colors, may beproduced.

It is another advantage of the invention thata mosaic of variegatedcharacter but with a dominant tone of any character suitable to itssituation may be readily produced in a simplemanner. While theproduction of a dominant tone in a marbled design has of course beenpossible, we claim to have simplified the methodv of its attainment, andto have eliminated much ofthe uncertainty involved in prior methods, aswell as reducing the length of time in manipulations required.

In addition, our invention enables the mounting f the s gments or tilesproduced 'these'to specially form the glass so thatfa cement may readilyobtain a hold thereon, or other peculiar method adopted for theirsecurement. We are enabled to utilize ordinary plate or window glass,scrap 'glass bemg particularly desirable for mosaic segments, and thesegments or tiles made by our method may be secured in place withordinary stock cementing materials of low cost and by simple operations.

It is another advantage of our invention that no special or expensiveequipment is required for its practice, although it is possible thatmachinery could be produced to facilitate it. The low cost of thearticle and its use will thus be apparent.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear,some of which will be apparent from the following descriptionand fromthe drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragment of a surface decorated inaccordance with our invention, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view ofa surface having the tiling initially applied, Fig. 3 is a similar viewof the completed decoration, ,Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional view of asegment, Fig. 5 shows one method for the initial application of color,Fig. 6 shows a further means for the application of color, Fig. 7 showsa method for producing certain effects, Fig. 8 illustrates one means forthe characterization of the segments.

In the present form of our invention we obtain scrap glass of irregularshapes, the larger pieces of which, for the best effects, should nothave an area on one side of more than nine inches, and some of whichshould be very much smaller. This glass should be free of any opaquesubstances on its surfaces of an undesirable character. A number of thefragments 10 are laid upon a suitable table or other support, and smalldaubs '10 of various oil colors are put upon their upper surfaces. Thismay be done by squeezing tubes 11 containing the desired colors whiletheir mouths are presented against the fragments, or the'colors may beput on by means of brushes, sticks or other devices. These may be termedthe character colors, since, as will appear, they will largely determinethe characteristics of the product. For producing certain effects, thefragments hav ing the daubed colors may next be sprinkled with drypulverized pigment of some desired color or successively with drypigments 12 of different colors, as shown in Fig. 6. If different colorsare used in dry form, it will be appreciated that they may be veryreadily blended, and by proper proportioning any desired dominant tonesmay be produced in the resulting decorative unit under the manipulationsto be described. The colors are next treated by being subjeotedto-theaction of a rubbing means having an irregular movement, which mayconsist of a suitable pad operated by the hand, or even the finger endof the operator, as shown in Fig. 8, pressure being applied to asuflicient degree to produce the eifect desired. It is found that thepressure exerted, has a material effect upon the result in producingharmonious and attractive appearance in the product. The siftingofcolors may be dispensed with and the daubed colors rubbed on with theresult of producing a characterization different from that resultingwhen the sifted pigment is used. I

here the sifting of the dry colors is omitted local areas of differentcolors are formed on each segment, the edges of the different bodies ofcolor merging to some extent, a seriesof flares and whirls beingproduced having soft lines. Where the color is sifted on, lines or veinsare formed between the bodies of daubed color, in places, with broaderareas of blended color formed by the merging of the sifted pigment withthe daubed pigment, in others. It is desirable that the daubed color befairly thick, al-

though modifications of effects may be produced by having it thinned outto some extent; As a further means of varying the effects obtainable, wealso at times spray turpentine 13 or other suitable solvent upon thecolors as in Fig. 7 either with or without the sifted color, butpreferably with the sifted color, and usually before it is put on. Theturpentine has the efiect of causing the dry color to run into theadjacent portions of other colors in a lace-like Way under the mixingeffect produced by the rubbing above described, and .partly through thepermeating effect of the turpentine. After the segments have been giventheir desired characterization, they are set aside and allowed to dry,and then given a coat 14c of paint of some desirable color, usuallywhite, and preferably so for light designs. Where a design of a dominantdark tone is sought, a neutral or black paint may be used. Where aWainscot or frieze is to be produced, it will be found for the backingdesirable in many cases to provide a number of rectangular piece? 15 forforming the border, as shown in The segments formed as described may bemounted upon any desired surface, such as Wood, plaster, brick, cement,or paper. In the case of wood and paper, a coating of linseed oil ispreferably first given the surface, and upon the other surfaces linseedoil 18 may also be used if desired. The backing coat of paint it havingbeen allowed to dry, and the wall or other surface of the support to bedecorated being in the proper condition, the segments are selectedaccording to their desirability for local application, a piece of puttyof suitable size is pressed upon the back of each as it is taken, or twoor more small pieces 16 of putty applied at suitably spaced pointsinwardly of the edges of the segments, after which the segment ispressed into the desired position. with respect to the supportingsurface, the putty being slightly flattened out thereagainst but notcaused to fill the entire space under the segment nor to extrude betweenthe edges of mutually adjacent segments. In this way the pieces are heldwith great security, especially if the supporting surface be painted.lVhen a considerable area has been thus covered a moderately thickmixture of plaster of Paris, or other cementitious material is spreadover the mosaic, and worked into the joints between the segmentssufficiently to fill them and to spread slightly thereunder in contactwith the supporting surface, somewhat as shown at 17 in Fig. 3. Thismethod of application is peculiarly desirable with our invention, theputty taking a strong hold upon the painted sides of the segments whereordinary cements would not,

and when dry it is next to impossible to separate them without damage.An experimental panel of the mosaic has been submitted to an age testextending over several years, and the segments are so firmly fixed thatthey cannot be removed without breaking, the above method of fixationhaving been employed. The use of the oil upon wood or other surfacesbefore applying the segments also makes an extremely intimate connectionbetween the putty and such surfaces. Where a surface is involved uponwhich it is not desirable to use the linseed oil, and upon which theputty will not hold satisfactorily, but a Portland cement or like cementwould hold, lumps of putty may be applied on the backs of the segmentsso as to project beyond their edges, and'their application proceededwith as above described. In this waythe putty, to which the segments aresecured satisfactorily, is locked against the supporting surface by thecement worked between the joints.

It may be found possible to use other material than putty for theinitial securement. and any material having the quality of greatadhesiveness to the colors on the segments or the backing coat,possessing the necessary plasticity, and a slow setting quality, may betermed putty-like for the purpose of designation in our claims. Theadvantages of the particular process of application are numerous, butconsist partly in the fact that the slow setting of the putty gives theworker opportunity to'cover a large area in a satisfactory manner, andthe use of small lumps of the initial securing material makes it easierto bring all the segments into a common plane than where their backs areentirely coated, or where a continuous coating is applied to thesupporting surface into which the tiles are pressed. Also the use of thelumps of small area as compared to the size of the segments, leavesconsiderable air spaces between the segments and the supporting surface,making a wall so covered an efiicient insulation of heat and sound.Further, the advantages of the slow setting securing material areobtained together with those of the quick-setting Portland cement orplaster of Paris, whereby damage to the completed mosaic is minimized.This is of great importance, as in the erection of buildings a mosaic ofthis kind would be liable to contact of workmen and objects of variouskinds immediately succeeding its completion, and without a quicksettingsupport the work would often be damaged by slight causes.

The Portland cement is not very efficient as an adhesive, as is wellknown, but excels as a foundation to resist crushing, for whichputty-like materials are not well suited although efficient as adhesivesfor making segments secure against lifting out of their setting. Thus,the liability of loosening is minimized while the advantages of the firmfoundation afforded by Portland cement or the like is retained, by themethod outlined. Also, a considerable saving of material is effected byour method. Where putty-like materials have been used for securingdecorative segments, owing to its slight efliciency in resistingcrushing, a large amount of material must be used, and usually theentire back of the segment must be coated therewith, or a continuouscoating applied to the supporting surface into which the segments areforced. Where Portland cement or the like alone is used, it is alsocustomary to give the supporting surface, a coating of the cement, intowhich the tiling or other decorative segments are forced. By our method,the principal support of the segments is at the edges, and an open spaceis left thereunder, instead of a continuous body of the securing orsupporting material. The greater ease with which our segments may beadjusted in the desired positions on the supporting surface, as comparedto the time required where they are embedded in a continuous coating ofsupporting material, results in a large saving in time and effort.

In. the mosaic segment shown in Fig. 1 a border .2 i shown comprisingthree hori zontal courses of rectangular segments 15 arranged to breakjoints, the upper and lower courses comprising oblong pieces, while themiddle course is made up of squares or at least broader pieces. Thesemay be colored with plain colors, that are sufficiently distinct fromthe general tone of the body of the mosaic, as for example, the upperand lower courses are daubed with a dark blue, in the rubbing of which(which is desirable, as in the case of mixed colors) the color isthinned in parts so that a white backing will cause a slight mottling toappear, while the middle course is daubed with a pale yellowpredominantly and in a lesser degree with green or blue, the rubbing ofwhich will produce pale flares and whorls of green. With this border thepredominant tone of the body of the mosaic should be green, withpossibly a verging to yellow, and the latter is preferably to be madesalient. lVith these colors small quantities of other colors such as redand brown may be intermingled, and of the predominant colors, a numberof shades may be used on each segment.

As one method of fixing the predominant tone of the complete work, we attimesas a preliminary to the characterization of the segmentsgive all athin coat of paint of the desired color, after which the daubing andother desired steps are proceeded with, the rubbing causing the daubedcolors to work through the preliminary coat. When the joint filling 17has been applied, the surface of the mosaic is cleaned thoroughly,preferably before the filling has completely set, as the cleaning isthen easier, and the segments are sufficiently stable in position.

The colored pigments which we have used in practice for daubing thefragments, have been oil colors, as before stated, but it may be foundpossible to use pigments mixed with some other suitable adhesive liquid,although. thus far, we have been unable to find anything satisfactory inequal degree in the various essentials. The backing coat may be omittedalso, in some cases.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of applying segments to walls, consisting in applying aplastic adhesive material individually to the segments,

on limited areas thereof stopping short of' the edges a distancepresenting the segments to the surface to be decorated with the adhesiveinterposed, adjusting the segments in positions desired, leaving a spacebetween each segment and the supporting surface, and applying a fillingmaterial such as hydraulic cement, to close the spaces between thesegments, and engage the supporting areas of the backs of the segments,presenting the segments to a surface to be decorated, with said materialinterposed, adjusting the segments in the final positions desired andapplying a filling such as hydraulic cement so as to close the spacesbetween the segments and contacting with said surface, and spreadingunder the segments.

3. The method of applying decorative segnients to a wall or the likeconsisting in applying to the under sides of the segments small portionsof a putty-like material,

pressing the segments toward the supportlng surface for engagement ofthe said material therewith so as to leave a space be- 15 tween thesegments and supporting surface, and pressing a plastic of the nature ofhydraulic cement between the segments and against the supportingsurface.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto 20 set our hands in presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

7 JOHN J. CAROVV. JULIUS CAROXV.

VVitness'es:

J. M. MAso ALFRED B. DENT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

